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RALEIGH – The entirety of the state now knows what Hertford County and northeastern North Carolina have known for quite some time: Keveon Rodgers can play football.

On Saturday evening in Raleigh, Rodgers was named as the state’s Offensive Player of the Year in the sport of football. The rising senior at Hertford County High School attended the awards ceremony hosted by HighSchoolOT.com.

Rodgers played a crucial role in Hertford County’s success during the 2022 season, leading them to an impressive 11-2 overall record and the third round of the NCHSAA Class 2A playoffs. His leadership and performance on the field were instrumental in the team’s achievements.

In 13 games, Rodgers completed 156 of 229 passes for 2,374 yards. He threw 30 touchdowns and had just seven interceptions, showcasing his accuracy and ability to make plays in the passing game.

Additionally, Rodgers (6’3”, 215 pounds) displayed his versatility by contributing to the rushing attack. He rushed for an impressive 1,581 yards on 142 carries and scored 33 touchdowns on the ground. His ability to both throw and run the ball effectively made him a dual-threat quarterback.

“Keveon is, without a doubt, a special player with a tremendous skill set,” said HCHS head football coach Terrance Saxby.

“He is very deserving of this honor,” Saxby continued. “He’s put in the work and continues to do so in an effort to improve his skills. But you need to realize that this isn’t just about him. Keveon is a team-first player. He’s all about what’s best for the team.”

Saxby added that he was very pleased to see a player from the northeastern part of the state receive such accolades.

“That’s a breath of fresh air….seeing that we can have someone from our part of the state recognized in such a way,” the coach stressed. “We have a lot of top quality athletes here in our region. I’m hopeful that something like this will show the younger players coming through the ranks that if they work hard and strive to improve with each and every practice and each and every game that they too can reach Keveon’s level and be recognized in the same way that he was this past Saturday.”

With the start of practice for the 2023 football season roughly one month away (July 31), Saxby remains upbeat about his team’s chances to match or hopefully improve upon last year’s success.

“We’re in a great situation with many of our starters returning from last season,” Saxby said. “They’ve worked hard and have made great strides in learning and understanding our schemes, now it’s all about fine tuning what they’ve learned. I feel really good about this group, especially with a leader like Keveon.”

His star quarterback is already drawing the attention of college programs. Saxby said that North Carolina Central University just recently extended an offer to Rodgers to take his talent to Durham upon graduation from HCHS. Wake Forest, Old Dominion University, and Elon University have also expressed great interest in landing Rodgers.

“Keveon’s achievements are well-deserved, considering his outstanding performance both as a passer and a rusher, his impact on the team’s success, and his leadership on the field,” said Dr. Jesse Pratt, Superintendent of Hertford County Public Schools.

Saturday’s ceremony in Raleigh witnessed a total of 41 awards handed out, ranging from players of the year in all sanctioned high school sports, to coaches and athletes of the year, games and teams of the year, and the Stuart Scott Courage Award.